Community raises funds as student numbers swell
Parents, volunteers and local businesses have completed a newly expanded playground at Henry Anderson Elementary after a multi-year fundraising push to upgrade outdoor play space for a school with more than 600 students.
Priority funding did not cover upgrade
The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) began raising money several years ago because provincial capital funding for public school playgrounds is allocated on a priority needs basis. The school’s existing playground was judged to be in relatively good condition and therefore did not make the province’s priority list, leaving the community to supply the difference.
Fundraising and volunteer labour closed the gap
The PAC initially raised $25,000. PAC chair Shirley Shen said the community came together during the 2025/2026 school year to collect an additional $55,000, bringing the total to the $80,000 required for new equipment.
- $25,000 raised in the first phase
- $55,000 raised in 2025/2026 to complete the total
- $80,000 total cost for new playground equipment
Local businesses and volunteers provided installation
Rather than pay approximately $8,000 for professional installation, a team of parents and community volunteers constructed the playground themselves. Shen credited local businesses for contributing food, labour, materials, heavy equipment, fencing, concrete and technical expertise to the project.
“This playground is more than new equipment — it's a symbol of what our community can do when we support each other,”
Shen said the effort drew a wide range of participants: supportive principals and district staff, hundreds of families who donated, volunteers who took time off work to build, and local businesses that stepped in late in the process "with no questions asked."
Stronger ties and belonging among families
Organizers reported social as well as material benefits. One parent told Shen they did not feel fully connected to the school until they engaged with the project; another family who had not yet enrolled a child at Anderson volunteered multiple days. Shen said shared work on a visible, practical goal created meaning and helped strengthen the school community.
Local implications
The Henry Anderson project underscores how Richmond schools faced with growing enrolment may rely on parental fundraising and in-kind community support to address capital shortfalls when provincial prioritization leaves non-urgent needs unfunded. For families at the school, the new playground expands space for recess and activity and represents a notable example of neighbourhood mobilisation to solve a local infrastructure gap.
| Item | Amount / Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial PAC fundraising | $25,000 |
| Additional fundraising (2025/2026) | $55,000 |
| Total for equipment | $80,000 |
| Estimated installation cost avoided | ~$8,000 (labour saved through volunteer build) |
